Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 144

3rd International Conference on Arts, Design and Contemporary Education (ICADCE 2017) Analysis of Mengfu‟s “Ancient Realm”

Xianjuan Dong Department of Art and Design The College of Engineering and Technology of Chengdu University of Technology Leshan China 614000 Arts College Sichuan University Chengdu, China 610065

Abstract—Zhao Mengfu was a strong advocator and many Western region people in the capital of Tang Dynasty, implementer of literati painting in . He advocated and they could communicate with each other with no problem. the "ancient realm", which can be understood from the two Until the Five Dynasties, although there were good painters aspects of "ancient" and "realm". "Ancient" means to copy the like Wang Qihan, but their paintings are the same with the Han previous generation, it both includes the copy of previous literati monks.I have been lived in the capital for a long time and I painting’s “above all material desires”, and also includes the often traveled with Tianzhu monks, and they are like arhat, so I copy of literati’s character and vigour of style; And the "realm" believed I have got their spirit. This painting was painted can be regarded as "artistic conception", that is, the literati seventeen years before, and it with roughly ancient realm, I painting’s "simple", "elegant" and "light" style. Zhao Mengfu wonder what you think about it.”[1] In the inscriptions, Zhao was actually use the past to open today, he created a new style of Mengfu in addition to evaluate the ancient arhat portraits, but literati freehand painting. also comment on his own painting Red Arhat, he mentioned Keywords—Zhao Mengfu; ancient realm himself often traveled with Tianzhu monks when he lived in the capital, so he believed the arhat figure painting was good enough, and with "roughly ancient realm", from which we can I. INTRODUCTION see, "ancient realm" is the painting style and artistic conception In the history of Chinese painting, we could roughly Zhao Mengfu pursuit. Also Zhao Meng discussed in his self divided painting into realistic and freehand painting two kinds. postscript scrolls that: "The most valuable thing for painting is Realistic painting was represented by imperial-court decorative ancient realm, if you do not have the ancient realm, although painting painters, they focused on the rules and laws; freehand the painting skill is perfect it is useless. Today people called painting was represented by the literati painters, they focused themselves as good painter once they know how to use pencraft on the convey of artists‟ subject emotions and promote the and colors, but they do not know that without ancient realm, "ancient realm". their paintings have various problems, so how could their paintings been watchable? It seems that my paintings are II. "ANCIENT REALM" AND LITERATI PAINTING simple but people who understand would know that they are close to the ancient and they are good paintings. This could Yuan Dynasty is the heyday of the development of literati only been known by people who knows, and people who do painting, Zhao Mengfu as a pioneer and advocator of literati not know will not been told.” [2] Zhao Mengfu believed that" painting, put forward a lot of painting theories which deeply ancient realm "is the realms which painting works pursuit, if influenced the four masters in Yuan dynasty and later literati the works do not have ancient realm, even the perfect painting painters. Some people may question the identity of Zhao skill is not useful, if only know neat, slim and beautiful color Mengfu as a literati painter since there are many imperial-court for painting, then it is a sick work that has no connotation, only decorative paintings in his works, but if we compare his works with "ancient realm" are good work. What kind of paintings with the imperial-court decorative painting works of painting spirit or style is the “ancient realm” which Zhao the Southern , we will find that Zhao Mengfu's Mengfu so advocate? What is the connotation of "ancient painting is different from the northern court style, but also out realm"? of the influence of the late flow of Southern Song Dynasty‟s imperial-court decorative painting, he emphasized the feeling expression, and in technique he stressed to combine calligraphy III. THE CONNOTATION OF ZHAO MENGFU‟S "ANCIENT" into painting. In this way, first in aesthetic feelings it is close to AND "REALM" the literati painting, and further the distance with imperial-court To understand Zhao Mengfu‟s "ancient realm", we have to decorative painting. Zhao Mengfu often mentioned ancient start from the "ancient" and "realm" two aspects. China esteem realm in his painting theory and painting postscript, such as in the past over the present since ancient times, "ancient" literally the figure painting "Red Arhat" he wrote: "I often see the can be understood as the previous generation, then the ancient image of Arhat Lulingjia, it has the best manner of Western of the "ancient realm" have the first layer of meaning, that is Regions, so people called it the best. It is because there are "copy the previous generation". However, there is a broad area

Copyright © 2017, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). 120 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 144 before Yuan Dynasty, it can not all be Zhao Mengfu‟s copy Song literati painting not only has got development in object, literati painting‟s “above all material desires” and the landscape painting, but in figure, flowers and birds paintings literati‟s character, vigour of style are the object which Zhao also appeared Li Gonglin, Wen Tong and such literati painters. Mengfu yearning and pursuit. Therefore, in order to be clear of Thus, the Song Dynasty literati paintings were not limited to a what the previous generation means, we also need to sort out certain painting subject, but reflected in the creative attitude of the context of the development of literati painting. Most of the the whole society. But for the entire Song Dynasty, because of scholars considered Wang Wei as the originator of literati the participation and involvement of the emperors in painting, painting, especially compared Wang Wei with Wu the imperial-court decorative painting that advocates the form Daozi and he believed Wang was more excellent than Wu. Su similarity was still occupied the dominant position. Shi mentioned in his poem "Fengxiang Baguan, Wang Wei Wu Daozi Hua" that: “Wuzi suijuemiao, youyi huagonglun,mojie This is the meaning and scope to clarify Zhao Mengfu's dezhiyu xiangwai, youru xianhe xielongfan, wuyu erzi "ancient" which is "copy the previous generation" from the jieshenjun,youyu weiye lianren wujianyan,"[3] which means development of literati painting, from the above argument we that Wu Daozi's painting was excellent but it only can be can see that the "copy the previous generation" which Zhao counted as craftsman‟s work, but Wang Wei has a cultural Mengfu advocated from one hand is the pursuit of literati painting‟s “above all material desires”, which is follow the connotation, his works were beyond the image itself. Therefore although both of their works could be called "God‟s work", but development of literati painting since the Tang Dynasty, this Wang's painting is better than Wu Daozi‟s by comparison. Start was from the inheritance of painting. from Su Shi, Wang Wei‟s "poetry in the painting, painting in On the other hand, the "ancient" that Zhao Mengfu the poetry" has become a incarnation of “above all material advocate also has the meaning of pursuit the ancient literati‟s desires”, Wang Wei was also enjoyed such a high cultural character and vigour of style, that is to copy the ancient from status for the first time, in this position, he not only go neck the ideological level. The thought of literati can be traced back and neck with Wu Daozi, but also he surpassed Wu Daozi in to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, in that time the metaphysics was literati painting system. But in Tang Dynasty which considered prevailed, and the most important value of metaphysics is to realism as the mainstream, why appeared Wang Wei's “above show people's self-consciousness and highlight the value of all material desires”? personal existence. "Wei Jin spirit" embodied a concentrated On one hand this was related with Wang Wei's personal reflection of metaphysical celebrities‟ spiritual world, and experience, but more importantly is because Wang Wei has "Seven sages of the Bamboo Grove" "was the concentrated both a profound cultural heritage and also he could paint, so he reflection of “Wei Jin Spirit". What kind of spiritual realm is could put his own seclusion thought into paintings and convey the character of the literati? In short, it is simple and insipid the meanings outside the painting. The difference between the just like "Zhuangzi" mentioned: After carve and cut, reverted literati painter and imperial-court decorative painting painter is to simple. that the literati painter pay attention to the convey of personal The Tang Dynasty Wang Wei's "Harmony of poetry and emotions in painting, they have strong subject consciousness, painting" and his “above all material desires” in painting are but imperial-court decorative painting painter pay more both the intuitive expression of his literati thought. Su Shi from attention to the object itself and ignore the covey of painter's Song Dynasty was a great advocate of literati painting, he subject consciousness. wrote in the poem: "Huihua yixingsi,jianyu ertonglin", "Shihua After Wang Wei, Dong Yuan,Ju Ran from the Five benyiti, tiangong yuqingxin" (Poetry and painting are originally Dynasties, their interesting features of "integrate ink, water and the same thing, they are both either perfect works from heaven paper together as a whole” have become the most popular style or fresh elegant works with taste). Su Shi believed that evaluate which the literati painters advocated in the middle and late the painting works are good or bad with the object similarity, Northern Song Dynasty, and it has been a comprehensive this view is similar to the children's knowledge. So that he development in the mid and late Yuan Dynasty. Dong Yuan's opposed the blindly pursuit of the shape similarity while ink landscape painting "Xiaoxiang Tu" not only the scenery is ignoring the artist's cultural accomplishment, character and the plain and leisure which in line with the interest ideal of the emotion communication function that paintings have, and he promoted the "fresh" and "natural" painting style. He also literati, but also the scenery of Xiaoxiang has a rich cultural connotation, it has a subtle relationship with Chinese scholar‟s strongly praised Wang Wei's ink landscape, he wrote in the hardship complex which involved in Chu Ci. Dong Yuan and inscription that: "Weimojie zhishi, shizhong youhua, Wang Wei were both respected by the literati painters from the guanmojie zhihua, huazhong youshi.” (Taste Mojie‟s poetry, mid and late Northern Song Dynasty, after that Dong Yuan has you can see painting within the poetry, watch Mojie‟s painting, become the originator of Jiangnan ink painting school, and he you can see poetry within the painting) He advocated to convey is the most important literati landscape painter after Wang Wei. the poetic mood and emotions in the paintings. Through "Advocate Wang and suppress Wu", that is, advocate the In Song Dynasty the farther and son Mi Fu and Mi Youren cultural connotation of painting and against the painter rigidly used their achievements on calligraphy to create the technique adhere to the objective expression of the object, in order to which express Jiangnan Cloud Mountains with ink dots, it was express his aesthetic tendency and artistic ideas. known as "Mi Dian Shan Shui". The dot painting technique was from the impressionist effect of "Fan Tou Cun", they re- Thus it can be seen that the "ancient" Zhao Mengfu established the important position of Dong Yuan and Ju Ran in advocated is both advocate the succession of literati painting‟s the history of landscape painting.

121 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 144

“above all material desires” and also the pursuit of literati His painting theory and painting style could be found in the scholar's character and vigour of style. works of It can be found in the works of four masters in Yuan dynasty. So what does the “Realm” of the ancient realm mean? Realm can be seen as "artistic conception", and how to achieve the painting‟s "artistic conception" is related with the style. Mr. IV. CONCLUSION Wu Yifu summarized the style of literati paintings as: "Simple", The "ancient realm" that Zhao Mengfu advocated was not "Elegant", "Light". These styles could also be seen as the blindly copy and pursuit the previous generation, but use the characteristics of the artistic conception of literati painting. past to open today, he created a new generation of painting Literati painting advocated the style of "simple" more style. Although he praised the majestic Tang Dynasty paintings, prominent. As for the landscape painting, the works of Dong but he did not entirely in accordance with predecessors‟ Yuan and Ju Ran are all thick and intense without simple style paintings, such as his painting "Red Arhat" was against the yet, from the Southern Song Dynasty‟s Ma Yuan and Xia Gui's traditional brushwork techniques, it has rough constitution, "half" and "corner", the simple style began to form, and to the random and free use of colors, different from the traditional Yuan Dynasty it could see I in the simple style. Zhao Mengfu painting‟s " Three alum nine dye ", but with a little freehand. in his self-inscription painting scroll also said: "... The arhat „s red coat painted with cinnabar but without colored Wusuozuohua, sihujianshuai, ranshizhe zhiqi jingu, outline, the red carpet he sat on and the background were also guyiweijia.."[4] Zhao Mengfu pointed out that my work seems rendering freely. It was different from the current slim and very simple and hasty, but those who appreciate my work can colored painting style at that time, and also different from the see that my work is full with ancient realm, so they will think it ancient painting style of Tang and Northern Song Dynasty. is a masterpiece. Thus, the "ancient realm "Zhao Mengfu advocated on one hand "Elegant" and the vulgar are opposite, the literati and is to show his demeaning of the Southern Song Dynasty‟s slim scholars believed that the elegance in painting could only be and colored painting style, on the one hand he created a new understood by those who were full of poetry and literature and generation of freehand painting style of literati paintings by with high cultural cultivation, vulgar people can only see it but using the past to open today. can not understand it. Elegance can be reflected in the painter's character, and also can be reflected in the style and theme of his paintings. Such as Wang Wei and Wu Daozi, one is not REFERENCES officer and one is, in style one is mainly with water ink, other is [1] Zhao Xiaohua: Zhao Mengfu‟s record errors on "Hongyi Luohan Tu" mainly with meticulous painting, in painting themes one is and "Midian zhulin xubianl". [J] Liaohai Cultural Relics mainly with landscape and other one is mainly with figures. Journal .1995.1.P158 Literati painters were deeply influenced by Lao Zi‟s thought, in [2] [] Zhang Chou: Qinghe Shuhua Fang. [M] Shanghai. his "Tao Te Ching" Lao Zi pointed out: "The fancy colored Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing Company .2011.8.P515 clothes make people blind, the beautiful music make people [3] Qing Dynasty]Wang Wengao: “Su Shi poetry collection”. [M] Shanghai. deaf, delicious food make people lost taste, field hunting make Zhonghua Book Company .1982.2. P109; people‟s mind go crazy, rare goods make people steal and rob. [4] Same as [2] So that the saint pursues full belly not the outside beauty, so [5] [Spring and Autumn period] Laozi: Tao Te Ching. [M] Changchun. Jilin they left latter to get the former.”[5] So in the eyes of the Literature and History Publishing Company .2004.2.P19. literati painters, colors are vulgar and ink is elegant, only the ink could create coke, thick, heavy, light, clear five tones, and the works created with ink are fresh and elegant, without the meticulous works‟ vulgarity and artisan habits. "Light" means plain, innocent, natural, in the Yuan Dynasty and later painting history works, "light" was always a standard of comment, "light" is better, Guo Ruoxu mentioned in the "Tuhua Jianwen Zhi" that: “Dong Yuan's landscape painting and ink paintings are like Wang Wei ...", Mi Fu from the Northern Song Dynasty pointed out in "Painting history" that: "Dong Yuan‟s works are more plain and innocent, Tang Dynasty has no such work, their style is so elegant which made them the masterpieces with no one can compare...", They all praised plain ad innocent as the features of Dong Yuan‟s works, and Yuan Dynasty Zhao Mengfu, Huang Gongwang, Ni Zan and others‟ paintings were also reflected the plain and fresh style. The artistic conception of literati painting which take “Simple, elegant and light” as its main features is what the literati painters always advocated and pursuit, and Zhao Mengfu was the advocator and implementer of literati painting.

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